Hu Shi (1891-1962) - By Brian KimWho Is Hu Shi(h) ?
- The Father of of Chinese Renaissance - Born in Anhui, China
<Bibliography>
Hu shi was a Chinese Philosopher, soon becoming an Ambassador (1938), with the belief in pragmatism. He was well-educated in Cornell & Columbia University, with his inspirational teacher John Dewey. Because of John Dewey, Hu Shi was able to first open up his life into something new: teaching. John Dewey gave a position to Hu Shi to lecture some of his classes and other classes. This opportunity has given Hu Shi to learn and gain knowledge of how to teach (as time progressed he was renown to be a good lecturer, even to the point where he came out on the daily journal, New Youth. In the year of 1916, with the use of a different, influential style of writing called the Vernacular Split, he was able to begin the Literary Revolution in China (which basically was a movement in order to "move away" from the classical style of writing). The movement by Hu Shi was a success, and eventually Chinese Writing has become "free." This freedom of literature later has brought upon the Intellectual Renaissance in China (1917).
Hu Shi, has always been the type of person who does not want excessive attention. In meaning, he didn't boast his abilities and knowledge, and even disclaimed himself of being an excellent philosopher. Another theory that Hu Shi has brought with him was that "The Universe, ifinite space and time, was not supernaturally created but it is naturalistic and is governed by natural laws." Truth is a factor that should be scientifically approved and expressed with the use of "freedom, progress, democracy, and social action." <Opposition>
Opponent to his Vernacular Style: Zhang Shizhao
Opponent in his stay in America as Ambassador: Meadow Street or people who owned properties near Hu Shi
<Major Contributions of Hu Shi>
Hu shi has mad a huge phiolosophical contribution to China; fisrst of all, he introduced pragmatism (1919). Pragmatism was an impressive influence in China, and even created many philosophical movements in the early 1900's. With the influence of this pragmatism, philosophy has started to once again incline (after the decline during the 1920's), and more scientific methods have been accepted by people in China.
Another way that Hu Shi has given contributions to China was through his magnificence & talent in writing; it has given a clear outline of an example of a good historical and social environment. These writings were such a big deal because it was a movement that has been "free" from religious beliefs. For instance, when Laozi was rebelling against the unfair government and society. Hu Shi has recognized the important Chinese philosophies of the past, notably the "rectification of names" in Confucianism, the "three standards" or "laws of reasoning" in Mohism, and the method of "names and actuality" in other philosophers, and was able to counter-act Laozi. Also, another impact of his writing was that it has given an increase in intellengence for China; it has given a wider understanding of its own nation and more subjects to learn. Due to these influences, and also recognizition of lost-important beliefs of the past, the views and knowledge of Chinese philosophy has changed.
<Ideological Foundation>
1. Pragmatism: Pragmatism was probably the biggest ideological foundation of Hu Shi.
2. Was eager for the increase of education in China
3. Has presented many experiments and theories in order for the improvement of Chinese government & living
4. Helped the literature liberalism & reform writing
5. Introduced/Emphasized on a new writing style called the Vernacular Style.
<Primary Source>
1. 1917: A Preliminary Discussion of Literature Reform (Poetry/Literature Source) Hu Shi has presented the Prelimary Discussion of Literature Reform, presenting the ways of correctly writing, with the means of intellectually enhancing China. Many people have been discussing literary reform. Who am I, unlearned and unlettered,
to offer an opinion? Nevertheless, for some years I have studied the matter and thought it over
many times, helped by my deliberations with friends; and the conclusions I have come to are
perhaps not unworthy of discussion. There I shall summarize my views under eight points and
elaborate on them separately to invite the study and comments of those interested in literary
reform.
I believe that literary reform at the present time must begin with these eight items: (1)
Write with substance. (2) Do not imitate the ancients. (3) Emphasize grammar. (4) Reject
melancholy. (5) Eliminate old clichés. (6) Do not use allusions. (7) Do not use couplets and
parallelisms. And (8) Do not avoid popular expressions or popular forms of characters.
a. Write with substance. By substance I mean: (a) Feeling. … Feeling is the soul of
literature. Literature without feeling is like a man without a soul. … (b) Thought.
b. Do not imitate the ancients. Literature changes with time. Each period from Zhou and
Qin to Song, Yuan, and Ming has its own literature. This is not my private opinion but the
universal law of the advancement of civilization.
c. Emphasize grammar. Many writers of prose and poetry today neglect grammatical
construction. Examples are too numerous to mention, especially in parallel prose and the fourline
and eight‑line verses.
d.Reject melancholy.
e. Eliminate old clichés. By this I merely mean that writers should describe in their own
words what they personally experience.
f. Do not use allusions. I do not mean allusion in the broad sense. These are of five kinds:
(a) analogies employed by ancient writers, which have a universal meaning … ; (b) idioms; (c)
references to historical events … ; (d) quoting from or referring to people in the past for
comparison … ; and (e) quotations. … Allusions such as these may or may not be used.
g. Do not use couplets and parallelisms. Parallelism is a special characteristic of human
language. This is why in ancient writings such as those of Laozi and Confucius, there are
occasionally couplets.
h. Do not avoid popular expressions or popular forms of characters. When Buddhist scriptures
were introduced into China, because classical expressions could not express their meanings,
translators used clear and simple expressions.
2. 1918:"Constructive Literary Revolution - A Literature of National Speech"
Speak only when you have something to say. This is analogous to the first point above.
Speak what you want to say and say it in the way you want to say it. This combines points two through six above.
Speak what is your own and not that of someone else. This is a rewording of point seven.
Speak in the language of the time in which you live. This refers again to the replacement of Classical Chinese with the vernacular language.
Important Vocabulary/Key Terms
1. Pragmatism: An approach which assesses the truth of meaning of theories of beliefs, with the success of their practical application
2. Three standards (of Counfucianism):Li
a. Li: Li is the ideal standard of religious, moral, and social conduct. b. Jen:Jen is the virtue of goodness and benevolence. c. Chun-Tzu: Chun-Tzu, according to Confucious, is to be a true gentleman
3. Vernacular Split (writing):A Style of Writing with the usage of other concepts such as Music; made for the purpose of avoiding straight-up, harsh education
<Biblography>
1. "Hu Shi." History Cultural- China. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <history.cultural-china.com>.
2. "Hu Shi." Chinese Development Writing. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <www.cgu.edu/pages/3279.asp >.
3. "Hu Shi." History Cultural- China. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <history.cultural-china.com>.
4. "Hu Shi: Biography from Answers.com." Answers.com: Wiki Q&A combined with free online dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedias. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <http://www.answers.com/topic/hu-shih>.
5. "eCommons@Cornell."eCommons@Cornell. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <http://ecommons2.library.corn
- The Father of of Chinese Renaissance
- Born in Anhui, China
<Bibliography>
Hu shi was a Chinese Philosopher, soon becoming an Ambassador (1938), with the belief in pragmatism. He was well-educated in Cornell & Columbia University, with his inspirational teacher John Dewey. Because of John Dewey, Hu Shi was able to first open up his life into something new: teaching. John Dewey gave a position to Hu Shi to lecture some of his classes and other classes. This opportunity has given Hu Shi to learn and gain knowledge of how to teach (as time progressed he was renown to be a good lecturer, even to the point where he came out on the daily journal, New Youth. In the year of 1916, with the use of a different, influential style of writing called the Vernacular Split, he was able to begin the Literary Revolution in China (which basically was a movement in order to "move away" from the classical style of writing). The movement by Hu Shi was a success, and eventually Chinese Writing has become "free." This freedom of literature later has brought upon the Intellectual Renaissance in China (1917).
Hu Shi, has always been the type of person who does not want excessive attention. In meaning, he didn't boast his abilities and knowledge, and even disclaimed himself of being an excellent philosopher. Another theory that Hu Shi has brought with him was that "The Universe, ifinite space and time, was not supernaturally created but it is naturalistic and is governed by natural laws." Truth is a factor that should be scientifically approved and expressed with the use of "freedom, progress, democracy, and social action."
<Opposition>
<Major Contributions of Hu Shi>
Hu shi has mad a huge phiolosophical contribution to China; fisrst of all, he introduced pragmatism (1919). Pragmatism was an impressive influence in China, and even created many philosophical movements in the early 1900's. With the influence of this pragmatism, philosophy has started to once again incline (after the decline during the 1920's), and more scientific methods have been accepted by people in China.
Another way that Hu Shi has given contributions to China was through his magnificence & talent in writing; it has given a clear outline of an example of a good historical and social environment. These writings were such a big deal because it was a movement that has been "free" from religious beliefs. For instance, when Laozi was rebelling against the unfair government and society. Hu Shi has recognized the important Chinese philosophies of the past, notably the "rectification of names" in Confucianism, the "three standards" or "laws of reasoning" in Mohism, and the method of "names and actuality" in other philosophers, and was able to counter-act Laozi. Also, another impact of his writing was that it has given an increase in intellengence for China; it has given a wider understanding of its own nation and more subjects to learn. Due to these influences, and also recognizition of lost-important beliefs of the past, the views and knowledge of Chinese philosophy has changed.
<Ideological Foundation>
1. Pragmatism: Pragmatism was probably the biggest ideological foundation of Hu Shi.
2. Was eager for the increase of education in China
3. Has presented many experiments and theories in order for the improvement of Chinese government & living
4. Helped the literature liberalism & reform writing
5. Introduced/Emphasized on a new writing style called the Vernacular Style.
<Primary Source>
1. 1917: A Preliminary Discussion of Literature Reform (Poetry/Literature Source)
Hu Shi has presented the Prelimary Discussion of Literature Reform, presenting the ways of correctly writing, with the means of intellectually enhancing China.
Many people have been discussing literary reform. Who am I, unlearned and unlettered,
to offer an opinion? Nevertheless, for some years I have studied the matter and thought it over
many times, helped by my deliberations with friends; and the conclusions I have come to are
perhaps not unworthy of discussion. There I shall summarize my views under eight points and
elaborate on them separately to invite the study and comments of those interested in literary
reform.
I believe that literary reform at the present time must begin with these eight items: (1)
Write with substance. (2) Do not imitate the ancients. (3) Emphasize grammar. (4) Reject
melancholy. (5) Eliminate old clichés. (6) Do not use allusions. (7) Do not use couplets and
parallelisms. And (8) Do not avoid popular expressions or popular forms of characters.
a. Write with substance. By substance I mean: (a) Feeling. … Feeling is the soul of
literature. Literature without feeling is like a man without a soul. … (b) Thought.
b. Do not imitate the ancients. Literature changes with time. Each period from Zhou and
Qin to Song, Yuan, and Ming has its own literature. This is not my private opinion but the
universal law of the advancement of civilization.
c. Emphasize grammar. Many writers of prose and poetry today neglect grammatical
construction. Examples are too numerous to mention, especially in parallel prose and the fourline
and eight‑line verses.
d. Reject melancholy.
e. Eliminate old clichés. By this I merely mean that writers should describe in their own
words what they personally experience.
f. Do not use allusions. I do not mean allusion in the broad sense. These are of five kinds:
(a) analogies employed by ancient writers, which have a universal meaning … ; (b) idioms; (c)
references to historical events … ; (d) quoting from or referring to people in the past for
comparison … ; and (e) quotations. … Allusions such as these may or may not be used.
g. Do not use couplets and parallelisms. Parallelism is a special characteristic of human
language. This is why in ancient writings such as those of Laozi and Confucius, there are
occasionally couplets.
h. Do not avoid popular expressions or popular forms of characters. When Buddhist scriptures
were introduced into China, because classical expressions could not express their meanings,
translators used clear and simple expressions.
2. 1918: "Constructive Literary Revolution - A Literature of National Speech"
Important Vocabulary/Key Terms
1. Pragmatism: An approach which assesses the truth of meaning of theories of beliefs, with the success of their practical application
2. Three standards (of Counfucianism): Li
a. Li: Li is the ideal standard of religious, moral, and social conduct.
b. Jen:Jen is the virtue of goodness and benevolence.
c. Chun-Tzu: Chun-Tzu, according to Confucious, is to be a true gentleman
3. Vernacular Split (writing): A Style of Writing with the usage of other concepts such as Music; made for the purpose of avoiding straight-up, harsh education
<Biblography>
1. "Hu Shi." History Cultural- China. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <history.cultural-china.com>.
2. "Hu Shi." Chinese Development Writing. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <www.cgu.edu/pages/3279.asp >.
3. "Hu Shi." History Cultural- China. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <history.cultural-china.com>.
4. "Hu Shi: Biography from Answers.com." Answers.com: Wiki Q&A combined with free online dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedias. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <http://www.answers.com/topic/hu-shih>.
5. "eCommons@Cornell."eCommons@Cornell. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2010. <http://ecommons2.library.corn